


For forever

by Get_below_my_line_of_vision



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, M/M, Memory Loss, Éponine and Grantaire are siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:54:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24458515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Get_below_my_line_of_vision/pseuds/Get_below_my_line_of_vision
Summary: Grantaire has lost the ability of creating new long term memory, but retains his short term memory, and Enjolras lives with him, and takes care of him.
Relationships: Enjolras/Grantaire (Les Misérables), Grantaire & Éponine Thénardier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate ending of [Cheese](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17929382)
> 
> This has a sad ending. If you want to read the happy ending, click the link above. 
> 
> This fic is the full story, not just the ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjolras' POV

After his minimum wage job Enjolras walked in the cold night back to his house. Due to the strangeness of his living condition, he was granted to pay less for bills so he could still be able to live in a moderate house. But Enjolras knew, no matter how much he tried to expel the thought, he wanted something better. A life where there was nothing to worry about; no one to worry about.

When the key entered the lock and opened the door, he was quick to be greeted with a joyous man. The unusual living condition mentioned earlier? It was him. Grantaire. The man who forgets.  
“Enj,” Grantaire almost leaped in joy.

Although physically he was in the bounds of reality, his emotions were cartoonishly happy- unsettling at times for Enjolras. He understood the situation, the hardship of isolation Grantaire must live through. Being completely alone in the dark and Enjolras acted as the light in what seemed like an endless abyss. His recognition ability was damaged too, making him only recognise a small ring of people. Enjolras supposed he was one of the lucky ones. It sure felt that way after the surgery.

As always, he smiled. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he was glad to see Grantaire so happy every time or if he was following a routine; a script he had set for himself.  
“Hi, Grantaire.”  
“You’re home!”  
“Yes I am. Do you want to eat?” Enjolras tried to match the level of happiness of Grantaire.  
There are occasions when Enjolras is automatically encouraging towards Grantaire. Most of the time, actually. It was just today. Maybe this week, that tested his patience.  
“I’ve already cooked!” He said, bouncing in his words. Miraculously.

When all the plates had been set on the table, Enjolras ate. There was hardly anything on the table due to only one person actually working and earning money, but Enjolras loved Grantaire’s cooking whether or not it was one or fifty plates.  
He felt himself naturally smile. That’s right. He had forgotten this feeling when he was at work.  
Grantaire quietly jogged to the piano and announced, “I wrote this song for you.”  
The piece was so enchanting, but Enjolras gave no care and continued eating. The truth was, he had heard of this musical piece over a hundred times. Almost every day Grantaire played it for him; and every day, Grantaire believed he was playing it to him for the first time.

“It’s beautiful,” Enjolras finally commented as he finished his plates.  
“Thanks,” Grantaire grinned as he watched Enjolras pile the plates together, “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” Enjolras smiled to himself.  
It was strange. Bizarre, even. There were times in which he wished he was alone, by himself, but even when those thoughts seem appealing, he eventually settled back to reality. Whether he was in fantasy or in the real world, he still loved Grantaire. It truly was an unbreakable bond.

Enjolras placed all the plates and cutleries into the sink. He washed them.  
This was his daily routine. No matter how late he arrived home, Grantaire would always be there to greet him, and Enjolras would always put a plastic smile on, in which the more time he spent with Grantaire, the realer it became.

This situation unfolded itself ten years ago, when Grantaire, after suffering from too many frightful epilepsies, underwent surgery to soften his symptoms. However there was a mistake, and Grantaire lost a crucial tool for survival: memory.

After that, everything was rushed. Enjolras quickly and quietly situated themselves in a house in a remote area and dedicated himself to look after his partner until death did them part.

While Enjolras was busy with washing up, a beautiful song started to play. He hadn’t heard this work in a long time. It was Grantaire’s first written music piece.  
The grand piano followed his fingers and created an unforgettable tune- in a good way. It captured the moment when Grantaire realised he had discovered the meaning of love. That was what he told him when Enjolras first asked what the song was about. “You,” was his simple answer. In response, Enjolras’ heart beat faster. When he first heard this song, it was the time he first found Grantaire charming.

But things were so different now. The Grantaire he fell in love with had disappeared and transformed as a consequence of something which was out of their control. It was the idea of fate which linked Enjolras to their home. He couldn’t leave Grantaire because this situation wasn’t his fault. No matter how much Enjolras sometimes wanted to pack up his things and leave, he knew he had to take care of his love. He had to.

When Enjolras returned back to the hall, Grantaire rejoiced as he hugged him, “Welcome home!”  
Enjolras forced a smile, “I’ve always been here, R.” His words felt empty. He had always been home…

Enjolras touched Grantaire’s cheek. He made a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, this fic was supposed to have a sad ending (like this one) but my friend threatened me and said the ending was too sad, so I changed it last minute. Since we're in quarantine, I'm pretty sure she can't hunt me down, so I'm releasing this :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Éponine's POV

Éponine was tired of it all. Years ago her brother woke up, completely different; he wasn't ‘R’ anymore, he became a walking burden. When nobody in the family wanted him, Enjolras yelled at them. For the first time Éponine saw his face turn red- he had always been a kind, caring, patient boyfriend. Seeing him burst made Éponine feel guilty. Before she could apologise and reconnect, Enjolras ran away with him.

For years, Éponine displaced her anger at the family to remove herself from the blame. But when her phone rang that day, and upon hearing Enjolras’ fractured voice, her past washed over her. 

“Éponine?” The voice said.  
“Enjolras?” She bit an apple and despite food in her mouth, she spoke, “Why’re calling me? I thought you hated me.”  
“Can you do me a favour?” His breaths were shaky. “It’s about Grantaire.” He elaborated.  
The guilt gnawed at her. “What do you want me to do?”  
She could only hear him breath, bringing her to the conclusion that Enjolras had not thought any of this through, whatever it was.  
“Enjolras? Whatever it is, tell me now. Where are you?”  
Then he told her. He told her everything. How he fell in love too young, eloped without experiencing life to the fullest, how he left Grantaire.  
Éponine dropped her phone. Enjolras had ran away.

She caught the latest train and hurriedly ran to the house the two resided in. Jogging up to the house, her hands were shaking. Desperately she tried to open the door until she remembered she didn’t own a key. Enjolras had told her where they kept the spare key. Bending down, she lifted their mat and picked up the key. Turning it over, she immediately saw Grantaire, leaning against the back of the couch, facing the door. “Oh, God, Grantaire, you’re… okay.” Éponine said, grabbing her chest in surprise.  
“Hi, sis, why’re here?” Grantaire asked.  
‘Why were you watching the door?”  
Grantaire furrowed his eyebrows. The answer seemed so obvious but he didn’t know what exactly- it frustrated him. “I… don’t know.”  
“Hey, is Enjolras here?” Éponine searched around the house, opening every door she could find.  
“Enjolras, he…” Grantaire dug his head in his hands. “My heart hurts, it’s beating so fast. Why is it doing that?”  
Éponine returned and grabbed his shoulder, “R, it’s going to be alright.”  
Accidentally, Grantaire slapped her. “Sis? Why’re you here?”  
She touched her cheek, her eyes glassy. Pissed off, she shouted, “Enjolras left you, R!”

Grantaire took a step back and glanced at the door, then back at her. He was speechless for so long he forgot what Éponine had told him. Instead, he only felt the burning ache of emotion. His brain might have forgotten the moment, the event wherein Enjolras silently shuffled past him, shutting the door slowly as he made a permanent choice, but Grantaire remembered the stinging feeling.  


It would take a while until he felt normal when he woke up. But even when he did reach normality, it would be a false reality- after all in his head he believed Enjolras was coming home from work. If it was late at night, Grantaire believed he was at his night shift, and if it was early in the morning, he had a morning shift, and so on.

As a result of the situation, Éponine stayed and lived with Grantaire. She slept on their bed while Grantaire slept on the couch. This wasn’t of her doing. It was always the choice of Grantaire. Every day he would stare at the front door, awaiting for his love’s return.  
By now, Éponine got used to it, watching the television, cooking in the kitchen, all the while Grantaire had his back against the couch, watching the door, his smile wide, excited to talk to Enjolras, completely oblivious to the fact he was abandoned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was either this or it beginning with Grantaire waking up on the couch and wondering why and finding his sister in his bed. Éponine then tells R that Enjolras had left him weeks ago. But then I *remembered* Grantaire has memory loss so the narration would've been wacky xd


End file.
